Who are you?

When I look in the mirror, I see myself as a man who follows 3 things:

Quality: Quality is very important to me because I recognize that everything I produce is a representation of who I am.

Connection: It’s one thing to be good and have quality but if you can’t share that with others, you are severely limiting yourself.

Faith: If you don’t believe that what you are doing is for a purpose, then you won’t make it that far. You won’t have the conviction to move forward. You need to believe in what you are doing in order to strive to greater heights.

Where does your motivation come from?

I know that I can’t control everything but I can control my effort which is why I work to be the ultimate version of myself mentally, physically, and spiritually.

When I go to the gym, I strive to be bigger, stronger, and faster. When I code, I produce the best possible work that my skills can offer.

It’s Natu vs Natu every day and that’s what’s keeps me going.

If you could compare yourself to a famous entrepreneur, who would it be?

He is a man of principle and that is what I try to emulate. Buffett advocates diversity and that is what I incorporate into my everyday life. For example, I am a coder, I invest cryptocurrencies, and I am an athlete. I am trying to develop different revenue streams through these methods.

Warren Buffett: “Don’t depend on a single source of income.”

What are your mornings like?

6:30am – Wake up

6:40am – I boil 4 eggs

7:30am – Bang out some music and hit the gym

9:00am – Head to work and start my day

If you could go back 5 years, what advice would you give to yourself?

To be comfortable in my own skin. Be proud of the things that make me different. Be bold about who I am.

What is something that you do to hold yourself accountable?

Working Alone: I use metrics to monitor my progress. For example, when I invest in cryptocurrency. I put everything in a spreadsheet. I ensure that I receive my principle amount back before I invest more.

Working in Groups: I communicate with my team. I try to get as much feedback as I can. I let others keep me accountable too. I use feedback and criticism to improve myself.

What is the biggest lesson that you learned from your football career playing for Queen’s?

Position: Defensive Line

The hardest time of the season for me was when I had my shoulder surgery. It hurt a lot and I was getting weaker every day.

When I went through rehab, I realized that consistency and routine are far more effective than resolve. This was shown through all the training, film, and work that they put us through.

Bottom line: discipline is more important than the desire.

Where do you see yourself In 5 years?

I am big picture person so I see myself working with software at a high-level of abstraction. I see my time and efforts being invested into training others to become better than me.

I see myself helping others to not make the same mistakes that I made early in my career. I see myself investing in a diverse amount of emerging technology.

What is your philosophy when it comes to productivity?

I used to struggle with the “all or nothing” mentality. I used to do all-nighters for school projects. It drained me.

My new philosophy: to begin with the end goal in mind. If I am going to the gym I know the kind of body that I am striving for before I even pick up a dumbbell.

The Key: Keep iterating. If your plan is working, then keep going. If it’s not, then pivot.

In one sentence, define the term “grind”.

Putting time and value into what you said you were going to do.

Who has been with you from the start?

My mother.

There are Day 1s and Day 2s. My mom was with me when I had nothing. She took me out to football games, paid for tutors, helped me on my journey to Queen’s University and so much more than I can ever explain. She helped me out when she had nothing to gain from me and that’s why she is the most important to me and will always be.

Can you recommend a book to readers who are looking to optimize their productivity?